In 2011, when Mission Brewery (the name of which was later changed to its current moniker, Mission Brewing) took over the circa-1890s building in downtown San Diego that had long housed a Wonder Bread factory, it was a big deal. All of the major network stations, magazines and newspapers enthusiastically covered it; something that, even given the county’s status as a Mecca for craft beer, doesn’t happen all that often. Not only was the high-profile site historic and located a short walk from Petco Park, but the move represented major growth for the then just four-year-old second coming of a locally based pre-Prohibition-era beer brand.
Mission quickly went to work making a home of the 14,000-plus-square-foot space, installing what went on to be a popular taproom among San Diego Padres fans and concert-goers. That public venue included views of a production facility which grew by leaps and bounds in the 2010s, employing a host of talented brewers along the way. But like many American craft breweries, Mission was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the temporary closure of the East Village taproom and instigated changes to not only the company’s business plan, but also its executive structure.
In 2021, new CEO Dan Partelow was brought aboard to lead Mission. His strategy included a good deal of expansion, with the company establishing a satellite location at the former home of Kensington Brewing in that operation’s eponymous neighborhood in 2023. The following year, Mission took over defunct Rough Draft Brewing’s Miramar base of operations and its pair of taprooms, providing the company a presence as one of three tenants at Sky Deck, the rooftop bar at Del Mar Highlands’ Sky Deck collective, as well as UCSD’s Mesa Nueva student housing complex.
With a new production headquarters, the East Village location was no longer the center of Mission’s universe, leading Partelow to shrink the venue’s footprint to include a ground-level tasting room topped by a leasable second-story private-event space. While more understated than before, the reconfiguration has worked out well. Despite that, due to powers beyond the business’ control, Mission’s days in the East Village are numbered.
“We were recently made aware that the entire Wonder Bread building was sold to an anonymous buyer with plans to turn it into a large entertainment center, and that all of the existing tenants will be moving out over the next few months,” says Mission Vice President of Sales and Marketing Aaron Long. “This building was here through the rise of craft beer in San Diego and evolved right alongside us as Mission navigated an ever-changing industry. Whatever it becomes next will surely be great, but we’re definitely bummed to be leaving after more than 15 years of memories.”
In looking back at some of the memorable moments forged at Mission’s former HQ, Long cites the long list of weddings, engagement and retirement parties, Padres pregaming and San Diego Comic-Con events that have been hosted there. Some of the latter featured the Transformers’ Optimus Prime dancing alongside Jedis and Barbies, and a Harry Potter trivia night complete with butterbeer.
Before the company and its staffers vacate, they hope to hold one last two-day blowout. Taking place August 21 and 22, that farewell affair will feature live music both nights, beer specials on their German-style helles lager Wunderbier, an on-site tattoo artist, raffles and souvenir stadium cups reading: The Best Thing to Happen Here Since Sliced Bread. Following that event, Long says Mission will take the rest of the month to wind down, holding a “yard sale” to unload items they will not be taking with them when they exit the property.
“You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful building to work in, whether it was the exposed wood beams and brickwork, the original silo converted to a milling room, or the large clerestory windows throughout,” says Director of Brewery Operations Jeremy Castellano. “The brewhouse there birthed many a Mission creation. Many brewers throughout San Diego and beyond spent some time in that cellar or ponied up at the bar for a shifty, and a countless number of friendships were created there. While the new tenants may tear down walls and give the place a facelift, they’ll never fully be able to erase the memories of everyone that’s worked there, nor remove the smell of hard root beer from the floor drains.”
While Mission’s East Village operations will come to a close on August 31, it will be business as usual at the company’s other four locations.
Mission Brewing’s downtown taproom is located at 1441 L Street in the East Village